Typewriting machine



Sept. 1, 1925.

B. C. STICKNEY TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Jan. 2 1922 lnven for Patented Sept. 1, 1925.

UNITED srares BURNHAM C. STICKNEY, OF ELIZABETH,

; 1,551,58? ATENT OFFWEL- NEW JERSEY, Assmnon EEO unnnnwoon TYPEWRITER COMPANY, or New YORK, N. Y., A conronnrron or DELAWARE.

V TYPEWRITING Macrame.

Application filed January 27, 1922. Serial No. 532,188.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bunurmrr G. S'rrort- NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Typewriting Machines,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for facilitating the introduction of cards, particularly 1 stenciladdress cards, into a typewriting machine and effecting the line-feeding movements thereof.

A stencil card usually consists of a small piece of stencil paper having a frame or border which consists of cardboard, and this frame is usually of such material that it is not desired to bend the stencil card around the platen.

Another digicult-y'that has been experienced in handling these cards is that they are not easily controlled by the platen and the feeding devices (lo-operating therewith, so that the cards are liable to skew at the linefeeding operations.

It has been proposed to place the card in a frame and to gear the frame to the L plate-n, so as to effect positive.hne-ieeding or the card, but this requires expensive and bulky mechanism for which there is usually no room in a front-strike typewriting machine.

The object of the invention is to overcome these and other difficulties, and to effect further improvements; Upon. the ends of the short platen, which is usually employed for typing stencil cards, there are placed, according to the present invention, finely toothed bands or wheels whose diameter exceeds that of the platen, these toothed or knurled wheels being directly engaged by the sides of the stencil card frame for controlling the movements of the latter. There is provision also for pressing the card against said teeth or knurls, so that the teeth may mal-rc slight indentations in the card, and hence the same is positively fed by the platen, the latter being operated by the usual line-feeding or rotatingdevices. Thisprovision, which is simple and inexpensive, has the further advantage that it becomes feasible to thrust the card down far enough to permit typing on its top border, which is a dcsideratum. There is no frame or rack or other device to be thrust down along the fixed upon the platen carriage and extending down nearly as far as the card drops. Thus stenclllng can be effected without making alteration in the mechanism of the typewriter; the stencil feeding devices being preferably such that they can be madeand attached to the usual platen frame.

Provision is further made for releasing the card at one or both ends from the control of the knurled feed bands on the p1-aten, so as to permit the card to be adjusted at either or both ends. i

Preferablythe' card-pressing fingers are flared forwardly above the printing line, and co-operate i *ith the knurled bandsor wheels to form a throat into which the card maybe dropped as far as it will go, the card coming to rest in a level position in this throat. Thereupon, the card is gently pressed downwardly while the platen is rotated backwardly by the usual hand wheel, thus forcing the card into thebitc of the toothed wheels and pressing fingers, so that the card is thereafter caused to follow the rotative movements of the platen. The teeth may press into the card only slightly, just enough to control it without objectionably marring the same.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the paper carriage of an Underwood front-strike typewriting machine embodying the present improvements.

- Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same. showing a card that has been introduced and run downwardly by the backward revolution of the platen until the top border of the card is in position to betyped. This view illustrates how,by means of the present invention, very limited room in an Underwood machine may be found sufficient for the lowerportion of the card. 4

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the card as just having been and pressing lingers znd the baclqw .rd it the platen luSlT started.

Figure 4; illustrates the ope 'ation of one of the release keys, whicl there may two, one at each end of the platen, so that either end of the card may he released independently of the other for truing up the card.

Figure 5 illustrates the preferred method of bringing the card to a level or t" ;e position at the introduction of the same.

Figure 3 i a perspective sectional view of a pressing liiger, etc., at one end of the platen.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side nressed down between the platen elevation illustrating co-operation of the pressing finger and the iooi'hed wheel re.-

atively to the card and platen.

Figure 8 is a View similar to Figure 5, but showing another form of tooth on the wheel.

A short cylindrical platen 10, which may have a celluloid surface (not shown) is journaled by means oi an axle ll in ends 12, or" an Underwood platen frame, which also comprises a connecting bar l-l; said axle having finger-wheels or handles "l a ratchet or line-space wheel lo runs a detent roll 1'? pressed arm 1 forming part spacing mechanism. lr tor .iiie also includes a handle 19, which platen frame and carriage to the beginnniq' of a new line, said 'iandle usuallv havi arm 21 to press back a slide and tl operate the usua pawl (not hown),

e side borders top bar-riborder at .u'. '1 rectangular frame. The extent to which no rate the ca rd is ggerated in the views... ah 1 are di '1 but it wil be understood that dentnig oi the liable only enou olaten a re he card is ins i spring):

I 1 i e upon the teeth until the card touches the periphery of the platen, F ure 7 gers 28 are pivoted at upon cars 30 for upon pendent brachets near the end of the platen. These ets 31 may be ii upon a cross-bar 32 extending from A? end of the platen frame, and provided at its whereby it is secured by we use oi screws 34 to the tops of the ends .2 13 of said platen frame; said screws 34: being usually employed in said machine for securing attachme to said platen lrame.

l be seen that the card-guiding deform a. unit, all parts thereof l upon said crossbar 32 for facil- 'uring and shipping and atends with arms immac iachment to the machine. Upon the brack- Z'li ma be secured springs 35 to Press the lingers 28 against the and; these springs bearin r ainst arms as from which may The il'illS as are *cnnectcd to the lingers if; my means of upwardly-i'laring linger extensions which co-oper te with the i; o introductory throats :t'or gures 5 and 8, here being sa angle between the peripheral line of the teeth and the forwardly and upwardly inclined member 39 of the throat th the members where they meet cliliit) a down against which the card be set, so that the card will be leveled reason of contact with the bottoms ot the throats, so that it is only mess the card down into the necessary a: machine as ;s it will go and then rotate one of the handles and maia ta'in the (lOVfI'lYVHi: on he card, whicl bite of the vi igare a, tentrolling esi ed the teeth a d the pressin forces.

7 teeth in he oi a coarse pitch, and the lower e e o. the card may be gaged by aid :t e as at l igure 5, the teeth on one wheel being in alignment with those on .he other wheel. the teeth on one wheel icing the those H1 he other, and being 11 t he number of teeth on he ratzh t that will on each tli c the 4. l.- oi plate 39 and towards the i d by lrmt the trout e of downwa "d d extensions of (.7. the rear guide e or a plate or apron all platen. and inand rearwardly in such the front guides to as to guide down on, it may be p i is tor-min relatioi the card as it slides down past said guides rection anl for and prevent the card from fouling upon the cross-rods 42, 43 usually provided in the platen frame. This guide plate 41 may have ears 44 whereby it: may be attached to the lower ends of extensions l5 formed upon the brackets 31. The plate 41, together with the brackets 31 and cross-bar 32, makes a substantial frame to carry all. of the remaining parts of the card-guiding device.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, l1 claim:

1. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with typing,instrumentalities and a platen, of means for embossing a complete set of toothed indentations upon a stencil-card upon inserting the card downwardly bottom end foremost in the machine at the printing line preparatory to employing said set to line-feed the card, said embossing means including backwardly revoluble circumferential rows of teeth associated with the ends of said platen, and lips at the front of the teeth and platen and diverging therefrom outwardly at about the printing line, and having downwardlydirected extensions forcing the. card against said teeth, during its downward 'movement, causing the teeth to sink into the card, embossing indentationstherein, said extensions also holding the card to the platen and to the teethfor the subsequent typing and line- Vfeeding operations, andcontinued down to form card-guides extending below the platen, the rows of teeth being rotatable step by step in line-feeding direction and accurately feeding the introduced card up again line byline by means of the engagement of said rows of teetlrwith said embossed indentations.

2. In a front-striketypewriting machine, the combination with typing instrumentalities, of a combined introducer and feeder stencil-cards inserted downwardly bottom end foremost in the machine at the printing line, comprising a bac'kwardly revoluble platen having circumferential rows of teeth and forming one element of the introducer and feeder, said introducer and feeder also comprising lips at the front of the platen and diverging therefrom outwardly at about the printing line, and having downwardly-directed extensions pressing a card against said teeth and causing them to emboss the card, said extensions holding the card to the platen for the typing operation, and continued down to form card-guides extending below'the platen, the platen being rotatable in line-feeding difeeding the introduced card up again line byline by means of the engagement of said teeth with said indentations embossed in the card during the back or down. stroke of the platen and card, said extensions being releasable to permitadjustment and true ing of the card. a

3. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with typing instrumentalities and a platen, of means for embossing a complete set of toothed indentations upon a stencil-card upon inserting the card downwardly bottom end foremost in the machine at the printing line preparatory to employ: ing said set to line-feed the card, said embossing means including backwardly revoluble circumferential rows of teeth associated with the ends of said platen, and lips at the front of the teeth and platen and diverging therefrom outwardly at about the printing line, and having do-wnwardly-directed extensions forcing the cardagamst said teeth during its downward movement, causing the teeth to sink into the card, embossing indentations therein, said extensions also holding the card to theplaten and to the teeth for the subsequent typing and linefeeding operations, and continued down to form card-guides extending below the platen, the rows of teeth being rotatable step by step in line-feeding direction and accurately feeding the introduced card up again line by line by means of the engagementof said rows of teeth with said embossed indentations, said extensions being releasable to P81- init adjustment and trueing of the card, and a plate extending under the platen in rear of said extensions, and C o-operating therewith to form a chute or guide for the card.

at. In afront-strike typewriting machine, the combination with typing instrumentalities of a combined introducer andfeeder for stencil-cards inserted downwardly bottom end foremost in the machine at the printing line, comprising a backwardly revoluble platen having circumferential rows of teeth and'forming one element of the introducer and feeder, said introducer and feeder also comprising lips at the front of the platen and diverging therefrom outwardly at about the printing line, and having downwardlydirected extensions pressing a card against said teeth and causing them to partiallypenctratethe card, said extensions holding the card to the platen for the typing operation, and continued down to form card-guides extending below the platen, the platen being rotatable in line-feeding direction and feeding the introduced card up again line by line by means of the engagement of said teeth with said indentations in the card during the back or down stroke of the platen and card, said extensions being movable to permit adjustment and trueing of .the card,

card, said chute open at its bottom, so that the combination vith typing instrumentalities and a platen, of means for embossing a complete set of toothed indentations upon a stencil-card upon inserting the card downwardly bottom end foremost in the machine at the printin line, preparatory to employing said set to line-feed the card, said embossing means including backwardly revolu ble circumferential rows of teeth associated with the ends of said platen, and lips at the front of the teeth and platen and diverging therefrom outv rdly at about the printing line, and having downwardly-directed extensions forcing card against said teeth, during its downward n'iovement, causing the teeth to sinl; into the card, embossing indentations therein, said extensions also holding the card to the platen and to the teeth for the subsequent typing and line-feeding operations, and continued down to form card-guides extending below the platen, the rows of teeth being rotatable step by step in line-feeding direction and accurately feeding the introduced card up again line by line by means of the engagement of said rows of teeth with said embossed indentations, said lips directed upwardly and forwardly from said rows of teeth and supporting the card as it is presented to the machine, and co-operatively with said teeth forming a leveling gage for the bottom edge of the card being introduced.

6. he combination of a carriage comprising two end plates, a platen supported on said carriage, a revoluble shaft supportee in said end plates, toothed driving elements secured to said shaft, a cross-bar secured to said end plates, brackets fixed 0 said cross bar, pressure-lhigers pivoted on said brackets, and springs for said lingers to press a card against the driving elements with sufficient pressure to indent the card so that the card may be fed about the platen by revolving said shaft.

The combination of a carriage, a revoluble platen on said carriage, a type-bar segment, movable curved guide-fingers arranged to travel with said carriage to direct a card downwardly from the front of said platen behind the type-bar se ment, the upper ends of said guide-fingers having bent-off portions flaring outwardly to form receptacles with the platen for the card, two driving devices at the ends of said platen having teeth to partially penetrate the unbroken surface of the card to feed the latter about the platen, and a guide-bar to keep the bottom edge of the card from colliding with devices behind the type-bar segment.

8. The con'ibination of a platen, a frame to support said platen, said frame comprising ii detachable bracket or platen-frame- 'or a rotating platen typewriter, said brackt ha ving pressnre-li11gers to press a card ,gdns toothed wheels provided upon the the platen, and also having means to 7 pressure-lingers, said vlingers haiin; downward Li LiilSlOllS, and said bracket having an apron below the platen to co-operate with id downward extensions to guide the card ing may be done ard.

it). lhe combination with a platen, a inc-space wheel therefor and a. detent for he line-space wheel, of toothed wheels at he ends of the platen, and means at the ends of the plat-en to "orm an introductory guide for the lower edge of a card, said introductory means so placed with reference to the toothed wheels that the lower edge of the and lint rest upon teeth of the wheels, whereby said teeth may serve as leveling gages for the card, said teeth having an aliquot relation to the teeth of the line-space wheel, so that the card-gaging position of the toothed platen-wheels may be always the same.

11. In combination, a platen, a supporting shaft having linespacing means for driving the shaft, card feeding means on said shaft having teeth to partially penetrate and to feed a card about the platen, guide fingers pivoted for operation independently of each other, each linger being spring-pressed and adapted to hold said card in contact with the platen, finger pieces above the pivots which when pressed together remove separately said guide lingers from said feeding devices to enable the ends of the cards to be adjusted relatively to each other and the platen.

12. In combination, a shaft, a platen the eon, line-spacing mechanism to rotate said shaft, toothed devices on said shaft to feed a card about the platen, and guide ingers separately operable to hold said card in contact with the feeding devices, each guide finger havinga handle extending to ward the other linger whereby the handles may both be engaged by one hand of the typist and both guide fingers or either guide finger released from pressure against the card.

13. The combination of a shaft, a platen thereon, linespacing mechanism to r0- tate said shaft, driving devices on said shaft cmnwardly, whereby typpen the top margin of the to feed a card about the platen, pivoted guide fingers separately operable to hold said card in contact with the driving devices, springs separately operable to press said guide fingers toward said driving devices, and individual handles by which said guide fingers may be separately released against the tension of said fingers for adjusting the card.

14. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of means for moving an imperforate stencil-card in straight condition downwardly in front of the platen to typing position and line-feeding it upwardly without liability of skewing, including circui'nferential sets of cardindenting teeth at the ends of the platen,

and means in front of the )laten nressin fl the card against the teeth and co-operati've therewith to maintain the card positively in BURNHAM C. STICKNEY.- 

